So did any of you guys watch this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00tw1m1/Spitfire_Women/


All I can say is...The young Maureen Dunlop....



What a cool job. One of the lasses said she flew 76 different types. Bu**er getting shot at...I'm off down the ATA

Biggs

I've not seen the programme. Definitely worth a look.

And yes, Maureen Dunlop was quite a looker. Brains too - you didn't get to fly with the ATA without them, and in some ways their job was harder than frontline pilots. No ammo, no radio, navigate by landmarks. And though they were supposed to read the pilots notes first, it wasn't unknown to fly a new plane type after nothing more than having the relevant buttons and levers pointed out by a friendly erk. In the early days woman ATA pilots weren't expected to fly front-line aircraft, but by the end of the war they were flying everything except flying boats - the powers that be didn't like the idea of mixed crews stopping off somewhere for a bit of slap and tickle...

There are at least two books by former woman ATA pilots, worth looking out for - I'll see if I can find a reference.

Edit ----
There seem to be quite a few books on the subject - see Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Transport_Auxiliary

I'd recommend this one:Spreading My Wings by Diana Barnato Walker. Patrick Stephens, 1994 ISBN 1-85260-473-5

Diana Barnato Walker:

Ah, cool. Thanks I'll look up the book. I've read Lettice Curtis autobiography already, was a great read.
I'm just trying to remember the attrition rate..I think it said 1 in 10 were killed in flying duties, more than the guys in combat. There's a bit in the prog about her. She and her new husband flew across the channel in a pair of Spitfires for a honeymoon in Brussels. Mind you he got docked 3 months pay, sad he was later killed

Cheers

Biggs

Damn,I missed this.
My Mum is a big aviation nut so she watched it.
One of the women in the programme,Freydis Sharland (still alive I believe) gave a flight to my Mum who was in the Women's Junior Aircore at the time.Freydis left a big impression on my Mum who let her take the controls of the aircraft.
This was a Fairchild Argus and she can still remember the registration (not bad for a 76 year old) G-AIYO although I can't find any record of it.

Mum has flown Tiger Moths,had a Solo Glider pilots' licence at one point but by her own admission,her navigation was terrible and limited her somewhat.She has even wing-walked on a Tiger Moth at the age of 60+.She shows all us kids up.

*Edit* Sorry Biggs,I just noticed you gave the link for i-Player,off to watch it now

What a fantastic programme!
Well worth watching.I hope you guys over the pond can see it too.
Some fascinating insights into the prejudice against female pilots and how they overcame everything to end up flying front-line fighters and bombers.
I loved the bit where one of the girls flew into an airfield in such bad weather that all the American pilots had decided nothing could fly that day!
Outstanding skill and heroism.

Another good book on the ATA is 'Fly and Deliver - A Ferry Pilot's Log Book' by Hugh Bergel published by Airlife in 1982. ISBN 0 906393 17 5. Charts the history of the ATA and has a lot of photos.

RedToo.

No excuses guys. Keep up.

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3089497/OT_BoB_Anniversary_TV_Programm.html#Post3089497

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3093721/Tonight_21_00_hrs_BBC_2_UK_Geo.html#Post3093721

Spitfire Women is being repeated on BBC2 on the 30th September.

I'd love to see her handle them jugs.

Nugget

Lght me a ciggie boys and I'll get my BSA and race you to the Rose and Crown

Haven't watched it as I'm in Canada, and us out in the colonies are not allowed to watch broadcasts from the motherland.

I have however read the recent book (of the same name) on which I presume this programme was largely based, and I'd thoroughly recommend it.

I've just bought two books on the subject: Sisters in Arms and Spitfire Women of World War II all via Deposit books.

yes i did watch it,it was brill.did anyone see the one in london digging up a road looking for the spit engine which was under the water pipe, that was brill too.and the pilot of the that spit was there too.

AWL_Spinner,

Now on YT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaIxWCwe6Ps

Part 1

Thanks Biggs.


Wheels